Mobile service cart

[txav8r]

While building the new RV barn, and previous with the boat, or on household projects, I used a small, low cart, similar to a wheel barrow but lower. We used this cart as a dock cart too. But I had always hated that it wasn't at countertop height. So I built one!

I thought some of you might want to build your own. I used a Kreg Jig to drill pocket holes to assemble all the pieces. That is the perfect too to attach a piece of lumber to another tight and strong.

The cart tables are 23"w X 30" long, with a handle arm that projects the top two side rails 36". I topped both tables with 1/2" plywood secured with 1 1/4" deck screws. The handle I attached and made from 5/16" all thread rod, inside of 1/2" pic, wrapped with 1/2" pipe insulation. I made three bushings out of some 1/2" tubing, with a 1/4 of it sliced lengthways out of each piece, to allows tight wrap around the all thread and to fit snug inside the pvc. I am going to make a removable table rim and pad the surfaces with tool box liner. I used 4" castors, the front swivel and lock, the rear are non articulating. The cart should hold 300-400 pounds easily.

This cart cost me about $45, as all I had to buy was the castors, all the other material I had on hand, leftover from previous projects.

 

[Bill D]

$45? I'll take two! Great looking cart Mel.

 

[txav8r]

@Bill D , I guess if you had to buy all the materials, you would add the cost of a half sheet of 1/4" plywood, 2x4's, 2' of 1/2" pic, 2' of all thread, misc. screws, nuts, and if you don't have a kreg jig, bows your opportunity to get a really great tool, along with castors. It's a bigger cart than the $120 commercial versions, and I expect evening it cost you $120, your getting a $150-200 cart. You could build this with deck screws and no jig, but it would the as uniformly even, nor would it be as strong. It has already served me installing the man door light over the new barn today.

 

[Scuba_ref]

I'd probably throw a couple of cross braces on the legs of that cart, other than that it looks great!

 

[txav8r]

@Scuba_ref On most any structure, I would agree about cross bracing. In all the carts I have looked at from harbor freight to northern tool and more, none were cross braced, even the ones capable of over 600 pounds support. With four vertical legs so close together, there is no forward/backward/lateral movement. It certainly wouldn't hurt but I don't think it will add a thing. Except that it would interfere with access to the bottom shelf. This cart will hold me easily without a creak.

 

[RightStuff]

Looks great, fun doing little projects like this. One thing I would throw on is a bit of a lip around the top to keep things from rolling off.

 

[txav8r]

Yeah, my wife wants a lip too. But I tend to put all kinds of things up there. I was cutting conduit on it yesterday. So the lip is in my way. I have designed a wrap around lip I can use and remove. I'll build it when I get a chance.

 

[txav8r]

@RightStuff , you and the wife win out! How about a little lip! Also put a little tool drawer padding on top.

 

[T. Turner]

@RightStuff , you and the wife win out! How about a little lip! Also put a little tool drawer padding on top.
View attachment 53354

Ahh the wife always wins out. Lol

 

[2nazt]

You could router out or drill a few different notches for say 1/2"-1 1/2" areas to hold everything from conduit to steel fence post also. Or a mount for two chain vices on each end.